By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis opposes government’s plan to send troops to Haiti, telling parliamentarians yesterday that no officer should risk their lives “on a deployment to a conflict zone with no plan or structure.”

“That is unacceptable,” he said in the House of Assembly. “The men and women of our defence and police forces have mothers and fathers, sons and daughters. Each of their lives is special.”

His comment came after Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sending 150 officers to Haiti to help stabilise that country.

Dr Minnis said there are many unanswered questions about the troops’ deployment.

 “When the media asks the prime minister about these issues, he has no specific answers,” he added. “He wants to send Bahamian men and women to a near-war zone and cannot answer questions about the mission. I have grave concerns about this prime minister sending our men and women to a conflict zone without a plan.”

 Earlier this month, the United Nations Security Council approved a year-long multi-national security mission to Haiti that Kenya would lead.

 However, a Kenya court has temporarily blocked the government from deploying troops there after petitioners argued that sending officers outside the country is illegal.

 It is unclear when the injunction will be lifted and what an indefinite delay means for the multi-national force.

 National Security Minister Wayne Munroe has said Bahamians would offer training and technical help to the Haitian National Police, suggesting the risk to their lives would be minimal.

 Dr Minnis, however, said yesterday that “much of the work of this force is undefined”.

 “There is no clear plan as to how peace is to be restored. There is no clear plan as to how the countries within the force are to operate or what the rules of engagement would be.”

 “It is unclear which countries will send troops. We do not know, Mr Deputy, how the command of our troops would work within the structure of the overall force.”

 Dr Minnis had previously called for a debate on a resolution to send troops to Haiti before officers are sent abroad.